We highlighted some major changes to the DfE recommended broadband standards in schools recently which should be implemented by all Schools at the next contract renewal date. With most school contracts ending in March/April it is important that you take action now.
We are now running a group procurement project to help Schools save money and drive down pricing from broadband suppliers. You are not tied to the other schools in the group in any way, you can decide to procure from any of the suppliers we obtain quotes from, or you might just want to use the pricing as a benchmarking exercise to check if your current suppliers pricing is competitive.
By joining a Group Project, you are not only helping to secure lower pricing for your school, you are also helping all of the other schools in the group.
Please note – If you are interested in joining our Broadband Group Procurement Project, the closing date will be Friday 18th November.
A Reminder of The New DfE Broadband Standards
- Schools and Colleges should have a full fibre connection, this can be FTTP (Fibre to the premises) or a Leased Line. Most Primary Schools still have FTTC (Fibre to the cabinet) broadband connections, these do not meet the new standards.
- Primary Schools should have a minimum 100Mbps download speed and a minimum of 30Mbps upload speed.
- Secondary schools should have a connection with the capacity to deliver 1Gbps download and upload speed.
- Schools should also have a backup broadband connection to ensure resilience and maintain continuity of service in the event of the main broadband line failing.
- You should be looking to implement this new standard as soon as you can, this is usually at the end of any existing contract term or as soon as full fibre is available.
We can help you meet the new standards & save you money- We don’t supply broadband services ourselves, instead we work on your behalf to ensure that you procure the right solution from a company that specialises in supplying broadband solutions to schools. Our knowledge of the market and our procurement methods will help you to secure the lowest prices for your school.
We provide advice on the different line types, firewall and filtering solutions, we will then assess your requirements and prepare your tender documentation.
Three education broadband companies will be invited to bid for the project, ensuring your procurement guidelines are met.
We will review the proposals and prepare a detailed report that includes information on the companies and their proposed solutions, pricing tables for comparison and benchmarking, and our recommendations on which companies and solutions should be considered.
Our friendly team are here to help you. For further information or to arrange an informal chat, please email us at info@tgesolutions.co.uk or call us on 01937 420052.